Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2016
Review Meta AnalysisSystematic versus opportunistic risk assessment for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Screening programmes can potentially identify people at high cardiovascular risk and reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. However, there is currently not enough evidence showing clear clinical or economic benefits of systematic screening-like programmes over the widely practised opportunistic risk assessment of CVD in primary care settings. ⋯ The results are limited by the heterogeneity between trials in terms of participants recruited, interventions and duration of follow-up. Limited data suggest that systematic risk assessment for CVD has no statistically significant effects on clinical endpoints. There is limited evidence to suggest that CVD systematic risk assessment may have some favourable effects on cardiovascular risk factors. The completion of the five ongoing trials will add to the evidence base.
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common condition in hospital patients. Considerable controversy is ongoing regarding optimal initial warfarin dosing for patients with acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Achieving a therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) with warfarin as soon as possible is important because this minimizes the duration of parenteral medication necessary to attain immediate anticoagulation, and it potentially decreases the cost and inconvenience of treatment. Although a 5-mg loading-dose nomogram tends to prevent excessive anticoagulation, a 10-mg loading-dose nomogram may achieve a therapeutic INR more quickly. This is an update of a review first published in 2013. ⋯ In patients with acute thromboembolism (DVT or PE) aged 18 years or older, considerable uncertainty surrounds the use of a 10-mg or a 5-mg loading dose for initiation of warfarin to achieve an INR of 2.0 to 3.0 on the fifth day of therapy. Heterogeneity among analyzed studies, mainly caused by differences in types of study participants and length of follow-up, limits certainty surrounding optimal warfarin initiation nomograms.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2016
ReviewPerioperative angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers for preventing mortality and morbidity in adults.
Perioperative hypertension requires careful management. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) have shown efficacy in treating hypertension associated with surgery. However, there is lack of consensus about whether they can prevent mortality and morbidity. ⋯ Overall, this review did not find evidence to support that perioperative ACEIs or ARBs can prevent mortality, morbidity, and complications (hypotension, perioperative cerebrovascular complications, and cardiac surgery-related renal failure). We found no evidence showing that the use of these drugs may reduce the rate of acute myocardial infarction. However, ACEIs or ARBs may increase cardiac output perioperatively. Due to the low and very low methodology quality, high risk of bias, and lack of power of the included studies, the true effect may be substantially different from the observed estimates. Perioperative (mainly elective cardiac surgery, according to included studies) initiation of ACEIs or ARBs therapy should be individualized.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2016
Review Meta AnalysisWater precautions for prevention of infection in children with ventilation tubes (grommets).
Following middle ear ventilation tube (tympanostomy tube or grommet) insertion, most surgeons advise that a child's ears should be kept dry during the immediate postoperative period. Following the initial period some surgeons will permit swimming or bathing, whereas other surgeons will recommend ongoing water precautions. A large number of studies have been conducted to explore the association between water exposure and ear infections in children with ventilation tubes, however a range of differing conclusions exist regarding the need for water precautions and there is wide variation in clinical practice. ⋯ The baseline rate of ventilation tube otorrhoea and the morbidity associated with it is usually low and therefore careful prior consideration must be given to the efficacy, costs and burdens of any intervention aimed at reducing this rate.While there is some evidence to suggest that wearing ear plugs reduces the rate of otorrhoea in children with ventilation tubes, clinicians and parents should understand that the absolute reduction in the number of episodes of otorrhoea appears to be very small and is unlikely to be clinically significant. Based on the data available, an average child would have to wear ear plugs for 2.8 years to prevent one episode of otorrhoea.Some evidence suggests that advising children to avoid swimming or head immersion during bathing does not affect rates of otorrhoea, although good quality data are lacking in this area. Currently, consensus guidelines therefore recommend against the routine use of water precautions on the basis that the limited clinical benefit is outweighed by the associated cost, inconvenience and anxiety.Future high-quality studies could be undertaken but may not be thought necessary. It is uncertain whether further trials in this area would change the findings of this review or have an impact on practice. Any future high-quality research should focus on determining whether particular groups of children benefit more from water precautions than others, as well as on developing clinical guidelines and their implementation.
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Discharge planning is a routine feature of health systems in many countries. The aim of discharge planning is to reduce hospital length of stay and unplanned readmission to hospital, and to improve the co-ordination of services following discharge from hospital.This is the third update of the original review. ⋯ A discharge plan tailored to the individual patient probably brings about a small reduction in hospital length of stay and reduces the risk of readmission to hospital at three months follow-up for older people with a medical condition. Discharge planning may lead to increased satisfaction with healthcare for patients and professionals. There is little evidence that discharge planning reduces costs to the health service.